Google Pixel XL vs. LG V20: What Should Be Your Next Flagship Device?

Google presented its new Pixel phone line a few weeks ago. Unlike the Nexus line, new Pixel phones have a high price mark and bring some Android features not to be found on third-party devices. On the other side, we have LG V20, a new flagship device from the Korean manufacturer coming with a huge screen and an Android Nougat out of the box. Let’s see what the two models offer and which the main differences between the two are.

LG V20

Dimensions, Design

Google Pixel XL measures 154.7 x 75.7 x 8.5 mm, making it a pretty large 5.5-inch device. The V20 is even larger with dimensions of 159.7 x 78.1 x 7.6 mm since the phone packs a huge 5.7-inch screen accompanied by an auxiliary 2.1-inch display used to show notifications.

LG V20 looks much better than the Pixel XL. It features a modern industrial design, with sharp edges and a dual camera setup on the back. The Pixel XL has an unusual design with wide space below and above the screen accompanied with bezels that are just too wide for a flagship device. Overall, the V20 is a much more attractive device.

The V20 has a Snapdragon 820 (2×2.15 GHz Kryo & 2×1.6 GHz Kryo along with Adreno 530 GPU) chipset that has the same clock speed as the 821 featured on the Pixel XL. Although the clock speed is the same, the 820 is a bit slower that the new Snapdragon 821. Nevertheless, Snapdragon 820 is still a very powerful solution, packing enough power for any kind of usage scenario. The device has 4 GB RAM and a choice between 32 GB and 64 GB of internal storage, which can be expanded with an SD card.

The Pixel XL features a 5.5-inch 1440p AMOLED display offering highly saturated colors and deep blacks. The V20 comes with two screens. The main display measures 5.7-inches has a 1440p resolution and a IPS LCD screen matrix characterized by naturally looking colors and wide viewing angles. The secondary screen measures 160×1040 pixels and is used for displaying notifications and other important information so that you don’t have to turn on the main screen each time you want to check the time or to see if there’s any new email.

Google Pixel XL (credit: gsmarena.com)

Camera

Both models feature excellent main cameras. The one on the Pixel XL measures 12.3 MP (f/2.0) and comes with a phase detection & laser autofocus, dual-LED flash, and HDR. It is capable of recording 2160p@30fps as well as 1080p@120fps and 720p@240fps videos. The selfie camera has 8 MP (f/2.0) and can record 1080p videos.

LG V20 features a dual camera setup. On the back, the phone features two sensors; one has 16 MP (f/1.8) while the other measures 8 MP (f/2.4). The main camera supports laser autofocus, OIS, LED flash, and HDR. The main camera can record 2160p@30fps videos as well as 720p@120fps videos. The front-facing camera counts 5 MP (f/1.9).

Battery, Software

Google Pixel XL features a larger capacity battery, even though the phone comes with a smaller screen compared to the V20. The battery has 3450 mAh, enough for two straight days of usage. The V20 features a 3200 mAh battery; just 200 mAh more than its predecessor which had a pretty short battery life. We hope LG managed to improve power optimization since the V10 could barely last one day without a charger.

Both devices come with the newest Android Nougat. The V20 is coated with LG’s UX 5.0 while Google Pixel XL runs a vanilla Nougat version. They both offer a fingerprint sensor. The Pixel XL is also dust and splash resistant.

Conclusion

If you want a device with superb hardware, excellent camera and a clean Android go for the Pixel XL. The phone doesn’t have an expandable storage, but 128 GB version should provide enough storage space for most users. LG V20 is a great phone for all users who like huge screens and don’t have a problem with large devices. On top of that, you’ll get a superb camera, expandable storage, and a much better design compared with the Pixel XL.